Sharing, reaching out, and educating patients, families, friends, and the community of Hospice of Southern Illinois. On our blog you will find Hospice of Southern Illinois updates, news, events, photos, and more! Join us!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

1 in 4 people who die in the United States are Veterans. With several Veteran Healthcare Centers, VFWs, and American Legions and Scott Air Force Base within our service area, it is crucial for Hospice of Southern Illinois to take strides to provide better specialized end-of-life care and support to the Veterans and their families who served for us.

We are taking strides to become a national partner of We Honor Veterans, a program developed by National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our plan is to educate staff and volunteers on Veteran specific needs, implement policies to ensure important information is collected and Veteran-entitled benefits are identified, and create partnerships with the local Veteran-associated organizations and groups to improve hospice care for Veterans and their families.

As a partner in the We Honor Veterans program we will locate resources (or make contacts with those who can help us locate resources) and integrate best practices into end-of-life care plan for Veterans and their families to provide high quality services they deserve and are entitled to. We are committed and proud to be your not-for-profit hospice taking strides to better serve Veterans and their families. If you have any questions about the We Honor Veterans program feel free to contact me or Stefanie Hansberry, 618-235-1703.

Help us share, educate, and reach out to all who could benefit from this news by subscribing to our blog and suggesting it to friends who will spread our message: Hospice of Southern Illinois is here to teach you what hospice is, what we are about, and what we can do for you and your loved ones. No one has to go through the dying process alone. Hospice of Southern Illinois can help.

Live well, laugh often, and love much,

Christine Juehne

Hospice of Southern Illinois

Community Education

1-800-233-1708

www.hospice.org

* * *

My name is Christine Juehne, and I have worked as a community educator for four years at Hospice of Southern Illinois, a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). I will be your hospice guru answering questions, covering stories, and informing you about all hospice topics. I welcome you to our blog! Follow our journey to stay committed to our mission, enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. If you have further questions about Hospice of Southern Illinois or general hospice questions please feel free to call 618-235-1703 or e-mail me at cjuehne@hospice.org!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Just over 6 months ago Hospice of Southern Illinois started using blogging. Just shy of 2 years ago Relais Bonne Eau, Your Community Hospice Home, accepted the first patient. Over 30 years ago we opened our doors as a hospice providing patient care. Who ever could have imagined that a hospice started by volunteers in 1981 would be continuing their mission and evolving their service to patients, families and the community using technology and social media sites?

No matter if or who imagined it, this brings us to today. We are introducing this blog, videos, now QR Codes, and more to help reach people who may need hospice services, improved quality of life, symptom management and grief support. You may be wondering, what is a QR Code? A QR Code is abbreviated from a quick response code and is essentially a barcode that is code for something, in our case a link to a video we have on You Tube. Go ahead and give it a try. This is another way we are reaching ourt to patients, families and the community. The QR Code is the box below all in black and white. Directions follow it. Let us know what you think!

1.The first step is the need of a smartphone and a QR code reader from the app store or market (depending on Droid or iPhone). All you have to do is type in QR code reader into the search bar and one will pop up. The download is FREE, so make sure you do not pay for one!

2.After you have the app, you open it on your phone (the same way you open Facebook, Weather, or Email apps).

3.You want to choose the option - scan from camera.

4.Your camera will automatically open up (this may take a couple seconds to a minute).

5.Then, as still as possible, get the QR code lined up in the box shown on the screen of your phone.

6.Give it couple seconds to process the code (what it is doing is reading the box to provide a link).

7.Choose to open it and view (however you prefer YouTube or Browser).

8.It will take you to our Relais Bonne Eau, Community Hospice Home video.

9.Press play.

10.By now you should be viewing!

Using technology for instant access to videos, education and people is not just good, but very cool! We are working our hardest to stay on top of how people just like you communicate and get information. This is one more way we are showing our commitment to the patients and families we serve, making sure you get answers and help you need fast and easy.

Help us share, educate, and reach out by subscribing to our blog and suggesting it to friends who will spread our message: Hospice of Southern Illinois is here to teach you what hospice is, what we are about, and what we can do for you and your loved ones. No one has to go through the dying process alone. Hospice of Southern Illinois can help.

Live well, laugh often, and love much,

Christine Juehne

Hospice of Southern Illinois

Community Education

1-800-233-1708

www.hospice.org

* * *

My name is Christine Juehne, and I have worked as a community educator for four years at Hospice of Southern Illinois, a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). I will be your hospice guru answering questions, covering stories, and informing you about all hospice topics. I welcome you to our blog! Follow our journey to stay committed to our mission, enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. If you have further questions about Hospice of Southern Illinois or general hospice questions please feel free to call 618-235-1703 or e-mail me at cjuehne@hospice.org!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Have you seen the movie, “New Year’s Eve”? This romantic comedy, from the director of Valentine’s Day and Pretty Woman, relates to all walks of life. Here is how it relates to hospice care. There are two great things about the movie:

1.There is a mention of hospice: In the movie hospice is portrayed as the people who come to be with patients at the very end of life which is true, however hospice is more than that. Hospice services are actually available for terminally ill patients with a prognosis of 6 months or less. Even though hospice can be a longer term healthcare option than portrayed in the movie, it is wonderful to see it mainstream. Hospice today is more often recognized as a healthcare option, which it should be. With the ability to care for patients for a longer period of time than most think, the hospice team can get symptoms and pain under control and enhance the quality of life for patients and help them be with their family and loved ones in the time that is left.

2.The message: New Year’s Eve the movie is about hope. Hope for all things in life that seem so far away. For example, when Hilary Swank, playing Claire Morgan, Vice-President of the Times Square Alliance, says when the ball gets stuck, that it is a representation of stopping all the craziness in our lives to reflect on what we have been blessed with and what we will be blessed with in the new year. Or when Zac Efron as Paul helps Michelle Pfeiffer as Ingrid try to accomplish all her New Year’s Eve resolutions and he goes above and beyond to show her how wonderful life can be. The movie scenarios symbolize how life can throw you a curve ball, but hoping for more and being someone’s answer to their hopes can make the moment seem like a homerun.

The movie, “New Year’s Eve” is a wonderful tale of life, romance, little corky twists and even end of life. It is an easy watch that will leave you feeling happy to ring in the New Year. Hospice care is like this movie because we can give hope and support to so many that have been thrown a curve ball in life. We do our best to make the last moments count by getting symptoms under control and enhance the quality of life for patients and help them be with their family and loved ones in the time that is left. No one has to go through the dying process alone. Hospice of Southern Illinois can help.

Live well, laugh often, and love much,

Christine Juehne

Hospice of Southern Illinois

Community Education

1-800-233-1708

www.hospice.org

* * *

My name is Christine Juehne, and I have worked as a community educator for four years at Hospice of Southern Illinois, a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). I will be your hospice guru answering questions, covering stories, and informing you about all hospice topics. I welcome you to our blog! Follow our journey to stay committed to our mission, enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. If you have further questions about Hospice of Southern Illinois or general hospice questions please feel free to call 618-235-1703 or e-mail me at cjuehne@hospice.org!